Godzilla: Transcendence
by Kyero Di' Nelma
Summary: A sequel to Malevolent Waters; Miki Saegusa Okumura was born knowing Godzilla, and inherited the memories of Miki Saegusa. Threatened by a global conspiracy to wipe out Earth's Kaiju, Godzilla's survival depends on restoring their shattered bond. And if Miki doesn't regain her memory of their initial meeting on Infant Island, she may yet meet the same fate as her predecessor.
1. Preface

Hello everyone!

I wanted to update you on a new story I'll be working on as a sequel to Godzilla: Malevolent Waters.

It will feature Sayuri's daughter, Miki Saegusa Okumura, as the main protagonist (I'll simply be referring to her as Miki), alongside the one and only King of the Monsters as the deurtagonist.

Having inherited the original Miki Saegusa's memories and psychic experiences, our new Miki was born knowing Godzilla. However, due to childhood trauma, she has forgotten her bond with Godzilla, the memories of the original Miki are fragmented, and her own memories of her original meeting with Godzilla as a baby on Infant Island are severely repressed and causes her physical pain whenever it threatens to surface. The more she fights, the more pain she endures.

This story will see Miki uncover a conspiracy to wipe out all Kaiju, including Godzilla, using technology similar to that of the Oxygen Destroyer. Alongside Godzilla she'll need to dig deep to reforge their shattered bond, reassemble the original Miki's memories, and release her own memory of the day the two of them met on Infant Island, as that memory contains the key to their mutual survival through this life-threatening journey.

Please be aware that since this story is brand new and still being fleshed out behind the scenes, I might only be able to write one chapter per week depending on my work situation and how quickly I can finalize the plot and begin grinding it out towards the finish line.

So please don't send me "when will the next chapter be up" messages. If I may be frank, such messages give me a headache. And I don't appreciate being rushed. Especially with a concept that's this new.

Before I conclude this preface and message to the readers, I would like to send a shout out and "thank you" to user 'hunter desktop' for encouraging me to write a sequel to Malevolent Waters. I've wanted to write one for some time, but was unable to because I couldn't think of any good way to start it. While I won't be using any of the ideas that hunter desktop sent my way, they were responsible for inspiring me to revisit the subject which led me to come up with the concept that you've read about above.

So thank you hunter desktop for the inspiration and encouragement to continue! This story will be in part dedicated to you as the catalyst for its creation!

Cheers everyone!

I hope you look forward to this story!

~ Kyero Di' Nelma


	2. Miki

**Chapter 1: Miki**

"_Gojira! Gojira! Gojira!"_

_**Thump!**_

"_Gojira! Gojira! Gojira!"_

_**Thump! Thump!**_

"No." Came a distant, feminine, echoing voice.

"_Gojira! Gojira! Gojira!"_

_**Thump! Thump!**_

"No!" It yelled.

"_Gojira! Gojira! Go-!"_

_**THUMP! THUMP!**_

Tightness in her chest rapidly shifted to pain, followed by an instant migraine as her eyes opened explosively. Her jaw dropped as a sharp gasp escaped, and both hands clutched her heart tightly. She was soaked to the bone in sweat, and her vision instantly blurred causing her to fall sideways off the bed and to the unforgiving hardwood floor. She panted deeply, curled into a fetal position, and grasped her heart as she fought through ragged and irregular breaths while the sounds of racing footsteps pounded against her eardrums.

The door flung open, and through her blurred vision she spotted the silhouette of her mother.

"Miki!" Sayuri cried.

In an instant Sayuri was holding her daughter's shoulders and gently tilting her onto her back to lay Miki's head in her lap.

"It's okay sweetheart. I'm here. Everything's okay." She cooed softly while stroking Miki's forehead.

Closing her eyes, Sayuri concentrated hard on Miki's heart and helped it to stabilize. Miki's breathing slowly came under control, and before long she had relaxed against the floor and her hands, previously white-knuckled over her heart, slid to the floor.

"I'm sorry." Miki whispered.

"No, no, no, no! Please don't say that, sweetheart. Please."

Sayuri gently lifted Miki's head up to her chest, cradling it in both arms and placing her cheek against Miki's forehead.

"It's not your fault, Miki. It's not your fault." Sayuri cooed.

Miki reached up and gently gripped her mother's arms as she pressed her head more firmly against Sayuri's chest. Together, they shared a long, tender moment before Sayuri helped Miki sit up against the bed.

"Is it getting worse?" Sayuri asked.

Miki nodded.

"Do you want to see the doctor again?"

She shook her head.

"I see... Is there anything I can do?"

"No." Miki replied softly.

"Was it one of _her_ memories?"

Miki shook her head.

"... It was you, wasn't it? As a baby? Chanting his name?"

She nodded.

"You fought the memory again, didn't you?"

Again, she nodded.

"You need to stop doing that, sweetheart."

"I can't help it. I'm dreaming. I can't control what happens in my dreams."

"Yes, you can."

"Maybe _you_ can, mom! Maybe _she_ could! But _I_ can't!" Miki cried, gripping both sides of her head and curling back against the bed.

Sayuri's jaw fell open and her breath hitched in her chest. Her hand covered her heart as a sharp twinge shot through it, as if a blade had pierced it. She slowly scooted towards Miki and wrapped her arms around her, laying her head against Miki's.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. It was insensitive of me to assume you had developed that ability." She whispered, hugging Miki more tightly.

"Forgive me?" She asked.

Miki nodded silently.

"Thank you sweetheart."

She leaned back, lifting Miki's chin to look her in the eye.

"We'll figure this out together, okay?"

Miki nodded.

"Come on. Let's get you to your feet."

With Sayuri's help, Miki stood up and made her way to the bathroom. Upon confirming she was strong enough to stand on her own, Sayuri left to make breakfast while Miki took a shower and prepared for work. Once dressed and in possession of her work bag, she came downstairs and ate breakfast with Sayuri. Miso soup, steamed white rice, grilled fish, and a salad. Once finished with her meal, she gave Sayuri a hug before leaving the house.

"Have a good day, sweetheart." Sayuri called.

Later, seated on the train watching the ocean through the window, Miki spotted a large mound growing in the water with a dark shadow beneath it. The mound remained for a moment, and then sunk again before the shadow disappeared.

"Which one was _that_, do you think?" Asked a male passenger a few seats ahead of her.

"I bet it was Godzilla." Said a female passenger.

"Nah. He hasn't been seen in years. No way he'd come back now without the government and the news going totally nuts about it." Another male passenger across from her said.

"It _could_ be him. You never know." The female passenger retorted.

Laughter and numerous back and forth exchanges about the identity of the mystery Kaiju in the bay became the subject of choice for Miki's entire trip. She only escaped the conversation when she got off the train and left the station, as one pair of individuals got off at her stop and followed her outside before splitting to walk the other way down the road. Sighing in relief, Miki walked down the street to work.

_Ring, ring_.

The bell chimed as Miki entered.

"Good morning, Miki!" The owner said with a short bow of his head.

"Good morning, Mr. Takao." She replied.

Mr. Takao was a middle-aged man with short cut black hair and a growing bald spot in the back. He was rather stout with a rotund belly and a kindly smile. And his bright demeanor endeared him to many of the regulars, all of whom he knew on a first-name basis.

"Good morning, Miki!" A co-worker said.

"Good morning, Mitsuka." Miki replied.

Mitsuka was a bright and energetic young woman in her early twenties with long black hair reaching her hips and straight, flat cut bangs. She wore a white bow in her hair, slightly off center to the left. And unless Miki's memory failed her, she'd yet to see Mitsuka with anything other than a cheerful smile on her face.

Walking into the back, Miki changed into her work clothes and began her shift as a hostess at the Takao Sushi restaurant.

The shift was average. As usual, the majority of customers were very polite and treated Miki well. One group of young men she served cat called her as they walked in the door, and had taken to making sure to come in only when she was working. They seemed harmless enough, but she did not enjoy serving them. However, she did so with a kind smile regardless. Only one person regularly treated Miki with blatant disrespect...

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Yamada." Miki said.

An elderly, spindly woman with gray hair cur to her shoulders with a slight forward hunch in her posture glared back at Miki.

"Just get me a table." She said flatly.

"Of course. Right this way." Miki said cheerfully.

After helping her to her seat...

"May I fetch you some water or tea?"

"You know my order, girl. I've been coming here long enough."

"Yes, ma'am. Green Tea with a salad to start. Main order the Maguro Nagiri?"

"Was that a question?"

"Um... No ma'am. I'll deliver your order as soon as it's ready."

"Well hurry up."

Miki bowed and quickly scampered away from the woman to deliver her order to Mr. Takao who was also the head chef.

"Don't let her get to you, Miki. Losing her husband and son took a big toll on her." He said.

"I know, sir." She replied.

After serving the meal, Miki's shift thankfully came to an end. And as she was in the back room changing clothes with Mitsuka, whose shift had also ended, a news report overtook the regular broadcast.

"_We interrupt this broadcast for an urgent Kaiju update. The Kaiju known as Burtannus has surfaced off the Coast of Oshima Island. She and her young, seen swimming behind her, are heading West. All current projections predict them heading inland towards the Akaishi Mountains, presumably to dig a den and live quietly underground. The military is trailing them at a distance, and has issued evacuation orders to all areas of predicted landfall including Shimoda, Shizuoka, Fuji, and Yaizu. Thus far, Burtannus has displayed no aggressive behavior, and the presumed threat is minimal. More on this story as it develops._"

"Wow. Burtannus has babies now." Mitsuka said, followed by an "Awwww."

Miki smiled and shook her head.

"I'm glad the military isn't attacking her. She seems to be a sweetheart when you leave her alone." Mitsuka continued.

"Most of them are." Miki replied quietly.

"Haha! Is that _you_ talking, or _her_?" Mitsuka asked.

Miki froze in the middle of putting her shoe on, and her lips trembled as she fought against the urge to say something.

"Well, either way it's really sweet. Don't ever change, okay Miki?" Mitsuka said while patting Miki's back.

"Yeah." Miki whispered.

Mitsuka skipped happily home as Miki walked out of the building, her head dipping lower as her lower lip tightened and trembled as a tear of frustration dripped down her cheek. Wiping it away quickly, Miki walked back to the train station briskly. On the ride home, Burtannus and her young were the only topic of discussion among all those on board. Miki listened quietly and refused to make eye contact or engage in the conversation herself. Once off the train, she walked home quickly as the sun started going down.

Unlocking the door and walking inside, she was greeted by the sight of her mother sound asleep at the table with dinner already set.

"... I'm home, mom." She whispered.

Sayuri stirred slightly, but remained asleep.

Her mother worked from home as a psychic consultant to an enormous clientele of corporate executives who wanted fortune readings, insights into personal issues and psychological damages to help them get over their problems, for her to be present in online meetings to read the participants and determine if any lies or deceit was at play, etc. While convenient to do from home, and despite the enormous pay it brought in, it really wiped Sayuri out. She rarely had time between these meetings to even make herself lunch, let alone rest herself and let her power settle.

She was only forty-three years old, but already she had a few gray hairs and near permanent dark circles under her eyes from the stress and lack of sleep.

Miki brought a blanket and wrapped it around her mother's shoulders, kissing her cheek gently and nuzzling her a bit before taking a seat across from her.

"Thank you for the meal." Miki whispered as quietly as possible, placing her hands together.

Miki began eating, and about halfway through her meal...

"Oh, welcome home sweetheart." Sayuri yawned, stretching her arms to the side as the blanket fell to the floor behind her.

"Hi mom. You okay?"

"Mm? Yes, I'm fine sweetheart. How was your day?"

"It was normal."

"You saw the news about Burtannus, right?"

"Yeah."

"It's been a long time since I've seen her. And I couldn't believe what I saw when her little ones came into view on the news cameras. They were so darling!" Sayuri squealed.

Miki smiled more brightly, happy to see her mother so lively despite her obvious fatigue.

"I thought so too." She agreed.

"And to think. Before you were born, the military would have been ordered to attack her _and_ her young and drive them away from Japan. Now they've basically got a military escort to wherever they want to go."

Miki chuckled.

"Yeah. She really changed the world, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did." Sayuri replied.

Miki's smile lost some of its light, and Sayuri instantly felt the change.

"Sweetheart?... Are you all right?"

Miki's chopsticks started to tremble. She was still smiling, but her eyes welled with tears as she slowly set the bite she was holding down on her plate.

"Mitsuka asked if it was her or me when I said that most Kaiju are nice when you leave them alone." She whispered.

Sayuri was instantly on her feet and by Miki's side. Holding her shoulders and hugging her tightly, Sayuri nuzzled Miki's head and cupped her cheek in one hand.

"Don't think on that, sweetheart. Your beliefs are yours, and yours alone."

"But what if they aren't?"

"They are, sweetheart. Trust me. I can sense it."

"But they're the same as _hers_, aren't they?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean-"

Miki stood up rapidly which surprised Sayuri and forced her to let go as she stumbled back a step.

"It means _everything_! I don't know if my thoughts are even _mine_! If my _heart_ is even mine!" Miki cried, tears flowing like rivers.

"She was amazing. I know that! But I'm not her! I'm _your_ daughter! I'm not your old friend who fought alongside Godzilla! I'm not that girl who changed the world forever! I'm just-... I'm just..."

Miki buried her face in her hands, fell to her knees, and wept bitterly. Sayuri was dumbfounded, standing mouth agape and her heart feeling like it had just been shattered by a meteor. Her stomach felt heavy, and her breathing became heavier as she slowly walked forward and knelt down in front of Miki. Cupping her hands around Miki's, she lifted her daughter's head and used her thumbs to push her fingers away from her eyes so they could see each other.

"Miki... Come here." She cooed, gently pulling on Miki to urge her forward.

Miki let go of her face and put her hands on the floor to support herself as she leaned forward. Sayuri set Miki's ear against her heart, and cradled her daughter's head gently while stroking her hair.

"Close your eyes, sweetheart."

"Why?" Miki sobbed.

"Trust me, sweetheart... It's time you got some reassurance from some old friends of mine."

"But how can some '_old friends_' of yours help me?" She whined.

"Shhhhhhhh... Trust me." Sayuri whispered.

Miki finally closed her eyes, and Sayuri smiled as she closed hers as well.

In Miki's head, everything went silent. She felt her chest hitching with every sob. She felt her hands on the floor. Her head against her mother's chest and her ear to her heart. She _felt_ everything, but she heard nothing. Nothing except...

Music.

Soothing music.

There was a warmth to it. Tranquility. A soft, regular beat in a single wooden drum helped settle Miki's own heartbeat. A flute of some kind... Bamboo? Yes, bamboo. It serenaded her with a beautiful, reverent melody which sounded like it belonged in a play about Japanese Gods. The sound of the wind flowing seemed to envelop her despite her being indoors. And as she opened her eyes, she found herself in a world of blue.

The ocean. The ocean lay before, and the evening sky above with the first stars twinkling brightly. White clouds floated lazily overhead, swept along by the cool evening air. And beneath her feet was a single protrusion of Earth with a sheer drop to the water below.

The music flowed through every fiber of her being. As if on instinct, she looked up. And the sight took her breath away.

Floating in the sky several hundred feet above was a Kaiju she knew all too well. She'd never seen her before. But she knew her anyway. With bright orange and black wings with large circles towards the forward edge, glowing blue eyes, and an aura of serenity and beauty Miki had never seen or felt before, each beat of her majestic wings produced a burst of wind which seemed to flow right through Miki. She expected to be blown away, but this... This wasn't real, was it? The wind didn't affect her at all because this was a vision of some kind. But if this beautiful creature was who she thought it was, then where...

_Miki_.

She spun around, and standing on a boulder before her, smiling ear to ear, stood two tiny women barely a foot high dressed in tribal clothing. They gave Miki a curtsy, and looked to one another as they chuckled with delight.

_It brings us great joy to see you again._

"Again? But... Who _are_ you?"

_You don't recognize us?_

"You're... The Shobijin, aren't you?"

They nodded happily, and Miki slowly approached them in complete awe.

"Mother told me stories. But I always thought they were just an extension of her imaginative stories about..." She turned around, looking to the skies. "..._ Her_." She finished.

_Mothra is overjoyed to see you, Miki._

"Mothra..." Miki whispered, turning around again to get a better look at her.

_Yes._

"I... Know her?"

_Yes. She met you as a baby as well._

"... So I don't know her."

_What do you mean?_

Miki turned around, facing the Shobijin with pain in her eyes.

"It's not _me_, is it? Who knows Mothra? It's _her_."

The Shobijin's mouths slowly opened in understanding as they looked at one another sadly. Joining hands, they looked at Miki and smiled.

_You fear that her memories and experiences are overtaking who you are._

Miki nodded.

_Miki, come closer._

Doing as asked, Miki approached and leaned forward towards the Shobijin. And together, they reached out and touched her cheeks. And as they did so, a strange power seemed to flow through her as her body felt warmer and her hair began flowing out and away from her body.

_You are who you are, Miki Saegusa Okumura. The fragmented memories of Miki Saegusa flow through your subconscious, but they are only memories. And when you learn to accept them, this uncertainty will plague you no longer._

"But how? How do I control them?"

_We didn't say "control," Miki. We said "accept."_

"But I don't want to accept her memories. They're not _mine_! And they _hurt_!"

_Miki. Please calm yourself._

Miki was about to protest, but something in the eyes of the Shobijin forced her into silence.

_Miki. These memories flow through your mind for a reason. They are here to help you._

"Help me with what?"

_With the challenges life will inevitably force upon you._

"What?"

_Your psychic powers will make you a target for those who would seek to abuse it, just as Miki Saegusa's power made her a target. Your mother's name, and her history working with Miki Saegusa, has put you in the Japanese government's database as a Person of Interest. And if they believe your power could serve them in what they believe to be a greater purpose, they will come for you._

"So... What do I do?"

_History is destined to repeat itself, Miki. From the moment you were conceived, your destiny was set in stone. And the memories of your predecessor, Miki Saegusa, will guide you through the inevitable challenges ahead. Trust in her memories. Trust in your psychic powers. And you'll be all right._

"But how can I be certain that it will be all right? I'm... Aside from my mom, I'm all alone. I don't really have any friends I can ask for help you know."

The Shobijin looked to each other, and back to Miki.

_That's not true, Miki. You __do__ have a friend whom you can ask for help. And he's waiting for you._

"Who?"

_Mothra has forbidden us from revealing his identity to you. We're sorry. You must discover his identity for yourself. But if you have faith in our words, faith in your predecessor's memories, and faith in yourself, you'll learn his identity in due time._

"What about the pain?"

_... The pain comes in response to your own memory, does it not?_

"Yes."

_One moment, please..._

The Shobijin closed their eyes, and a few moments later they looked up at Miki.

_We're sorry Miki. But we can't help you with this memory._

"Why not? Mom said you two could do just about anything."

_We tried to visit the memory you speak of, but it's being blocked. Whatever happened to repress that memory is powerful indeed, and we're unable to overcome it. We're sorry._

Miki's head lowered and she heaved a sigh.

"It's okay. I'll... Figure it out eventually." She said.

As she looked up towards the Shobijin, she offered a smile.

"Can I go home, please? I need to finish my dinner before it gets cold."

The Shobijin smiled, and closed their eyes.

_Sayonara, Miki. We will meet again._

Miki's world went white, and in a flash she opened her eyes and was back in her house held in her mother's arms.

"Did you meet them?" Sayuri asked.

Miki slowly stood up, nodding all the way.

"Yeah. And... I saw Mothra too." She said breathlessly.

Sayuri beamed.

"That's wonderful sweetheart!" She said, clapping her hands. "Were they able to help you with anything?"

"They told me to accept her memories. But I don't know how to do that."

"I see."

"Do you know how to do that, mom?"

"No, sweetheart. I've never had anyone else's memories to draw from. So I don't know what you're going through. I'm sorry."

"Oh... It's okay. I'll figure it out."

"Hey." Sayuri said, coming forward and giving Miki a hug.

"I'm always here, sweetheart. Okay? I may not always be able to help. But I'm here. Never forget that. Promise?"

Miki smiled with a nod.

"Good. Then let's finish eating. It's going to get cold."

Together, they sat down and finished their dinner before enjoying a conversation about Sayuri's experience with Burtannus many years ago.

Meanwhile, deep beneath the Pacific Ocean...

A colossal and lonely undersea mountain, several hundred meters long, suddenly twitched sending up a wall of dirt which scattered dozens of schools of fish. At one end, two plumes of hot smoky water burst outwards revealing two holes not previously visible. The other end seemed to slide along the ocean floor from left to right, settling down as the sand and dirt slid away revealing several rows of tiny spike-like protrusions. The mountain's sides expanded outward, almost as if it was breathing. And just above the two holes which had appeared, more sand and dirt fell away as that end of the mountain rolled slightly to the side revealing a massive closed eye which twitched as the titanic Kaiju it belonged to continued slumbering peacefully on the ocean floor.


	3. The Saegusa Family

**Chapter 2**

"_Just this once."_

... Water around her feet. A flash of a giant eye. Shy. Defensive. Scared. Curious.

The sound of a growl resonating through her chest. A warning? A farewell?

"... _Are you all right?_" Came a woman's voice.

"_Yes._"

"_... Don't forget he's radioactive._"

"_... If we tried reaching out to them..._"

Was that... Sayuri?

"_Mosura ya. Mosura..._"

An egg. Lights flashing. Mothra's screech.

"_Friends... Mothra is reborn._"

Miki gasped and shot upright in her bed. Through ragged breaths, she slowly pieced together that she was at home and safe. Controlling her breathing, Miki brought her heart rate under control as she thought about the dream she'd just woken from.

"Another memory." She whispered.

As she got out of bed and went to the bathroom for her morning shower, a host of thoughts ran through her mind.

_Who's radioactive? Who's them? And was that mom's voice suggesting that they "reach out" to whoever "them" was? I could swear the Shobijin were singing for a moment. And then Mothra's egg hatched. Mom told me about that once for sure but... Yeah, that was definitely a vision of Mothra at the end. But why was she "reborn?" What happened?_

After dressing herself, she went downstairs and found her mother hard at work in an online meeting. Thinking it best not to disturb her, she got breakfast and went to work as per usual. The usual round of customers came through, and Miki made her way home without incident though Burtannus and her young having made it to the Akaishi Mountains were making headlines. Just as predicted, she dug a burrow and stayed there quietly with her young not bothering humanity other than the damage incurred by her making her way inland which thankfully was minimal.

As Miki walked down the street towards home from the train station, she remembered that tomorrow was going to be a special day.

The other night after dinner, her mother had promised to take her to see the statue of Miki Saegusa which had been erected in Tokyo following the death of the Godzilla family against Leviathan. As well, she would be visiting Miki's family which included her parents and elder brother, all of whom, according to Sayuri, were excited to see her. If she was going to accept Miki's memories, she felt she needed to learn more about her from sources closest to her. Sayuri had also promised a surprise for when they came home, though she was vague on details.

Coming home from work, Miki found Sayuri once again passed out from fatigue. This time on the couch. Miki laid a blanket over her mother and ate dinner quietly by herself before making her way up to the bathroom to brush her teeth and go to bed.

The following morning, Saturday, they were on the train together heading towards Tokyo. Along the way her mother teased her about the surprise waiting for them when they got home, much to Miki's chagrin. About an hour and a half later, they had arrived in Tokyo and called a cab to take them to the Saegusa family home. As they arrived and walked up the path to the door, she was surprised at how modest the dwelling was. A traditional Japanese house with a small statue of Godzilla in the yard surrounded by a circle of day lilies.

"Her favorite flowers, right?" Miki asked.

"That's right." Sayuri replied.

Knocking on the door, they were greeted by an elderly couple.

"Ah, Sayuri. It's so good to see you again!" The woman said, coming forward and giving her a hug.

"It's been far too long missus Saegusa. This is my daughter, Miki Saegusa Okumura."

As Sayuri stepped to the side, Miki's mother froze in stunned silence, as did her father. Even the brother's jaw dropped slightly, though he was able to recover much more quickly than his parents. The elderly couple approached Miki slowly, and missus Saegusa reached out and cupped Miki's face in her hands.

"You... You look so much like her." She remarked breathlessly.

The couple had a hard time holding back their emotions, and embraced Miki so gently one would think they believed her to be made of fine and fragile glass. As they let go and wiped their tears, they ushered the pair inside.

Together they all sat traditionally on their knees in the living room in a semi-circular formation.

"Where to start?" Mister Saegusa asked.

"How about the day lilies, dear?"

"Ah, yes. The day lilies. They were always her favorite. They were-"

"-The most talkative?" Miki asked suddenly.

An awkward silence filled the room.

"Um... I'm sorry." She said sheepishly.

"No, no. It's... Fine. And you're right. The day lilies were the most receptive breed of flower to her attempts to communicate and hone her power." He continued.

"How did you know?" Missus Saegusa asked.

"Mom made a garden of day lilies in the back when I was little, and I used to talk to them the most because the other plants weren't as receptive."

The elderly couple exchanged a smile.

"Well, not long after she left for college she joined a group of people who became her closest friends and extended family. And with them by her side, she connected with Godzilla in ways even nature didn't intend. And through their bond they helped defeat some of the most dangerous beasts which have ever threatened our world."

"Like Spacegodzilla." Ken, the brother, stated with subdued anger.

"Indeed. That wretched creature is who took her from us." Mister Saegusa agreed.

"Now, now. We're not here to talk about that. Do you have any questions about our daughter?" Missus Saegusa asked.

"Well... Um... What was she like when she wasn't around Godzilla?" Miki asked.

"When she lived here at home, she was pretty quiet. But still quite lively and eager to explore the world. She liked to sing as well, and she would often sing to the day lilies in the morning when the sun was just coming up."

Miki's expression darkened slightly as she recalled doing the same thing.

"Are you all right, dear?" Missus Saegusa asked.

"Miki... How about you tell them what's happening?" Sayuri encouraged.

Miki took a deep breath, and the family waited expectantly.

"I... did the same thing when I was younger. With the day lilies, I mean. And... I've been dreaming of your daughter's memories."

"What?!" Mister Saegusa exclaimed.

"Dear, please. Calm down and let her speak." Missus Saegusa barked. "Continue, dear." She said to Miki.

"Well... I'm worried that I'm becoming too much like her because of the memories. Like, I'm slowly turning into her. And I don't want that. I want to be myself. But every time I hear about her there's something new that we have in common." She said in a lower voice.

"Miki's worried that she's losing who she is to your daughter's memories." Sayuri clarified.

"Oh my." Missus Saegusa whispered.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." Ken said calmly.

"Why's that?" Sayuri asked.

"Because my sister was one of a kind, just like you are. No matter how similar your upbringing or hobbies might be, you aren't the same person." He replied.

"That's right. You are who you're meant to be, just like our daughter was who she was meant to be. Don't let her memories frighten you." Mister Saegusa said.

"That's easier said than done." Miki replied.

"Miki." Sayuri said sternly.

Miki dipped her head slightly.

"I'm sorry." Miki said with a full bow of her head.

"It's all right dear. It doesn't take a psychic to see how scared you are by the idea of losing who you are to someone else's memories. Anyone would be frightened of that." Missus Saegusa assured her.

"Yes. It's understandable. Do you have any other questions about her?" Mister Saegusa asked.

"I guess... Well... No. I can't think of anything more to ask. I thought I'd have a million questions. But I don't. I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"Oh, dear. It's all right. We're happy to see you and welcome you to our home as the daughter of an old friend. So please, hold your head high." Missus Saegusa said, walking over to Miki and helping her stand up.

"You're Miki Saegusa Okumura. Daughter of Sayuri Okumura. And you are _exactly_ who you are meant to be. Do you hear me, young lady?" She asked, cupping Miki's cheeks in her hands.

Miki smiled through a host of welling tears, and nodded fervently as she embraced missus Saegusa for a long and tender moment. As everyone else stood and the embrace came to an end, they all spent the next few hours talking about Miki and Sayuri's life up until now. And when it came time to say goodbye, Miki approached the statue of Godzilla amongst the day lilies.

It was beautiful. Every detail of his body was intricately captured by the sculptor. His tall posture with a slight lean to the left with his head pointed up towards the skies as if in the middle of a roar. His arms up and claws flared in aggression. His tail curled and folded back and to the side for balance. His spines lining his back, the detail of the claws on his hands and feet, and even the minute details of his scales were all present. Miki had never seen a more life-like statue.

She reached out and touched the statue, and instantly her mind was flooded once again with flashes of fragmented moments of the past.

Mothra hit a building.

"_Get up!... Get up!_" Came a woman's cry. The same woman from before in her vision this morning.

A mouth with two layers of teeth foaming and drooling excessively. Based on the statue, that was Godzilla's mouth. But why? What happened to him?

"_I felt him!_"

Static and emptiness. Was this someone's mind. Or... Was it _his_ mind?

_**Thump.**_

_Miki!_

Was that the Shobijin?

_**Thump. Thump.**_

"_... Please for the love of god, open your eyes!_"

It was that woman again. But what was she talking about?

_... In a coma..._

The Shobijin again. Who was in a coma? Was it her?

_Tonight, you are not the only ones to mourn... Listen to and remember forever the sound of a Kaiju in mourning._

A long and agonized call. Distant, and weak. The call felt so familiar. But at the same time, it was completely foreign.

"Godzilla?" Miki asked aloud.

Her mind was snapped back to reality a moment later with her mother gripping her shoulders and giving her a shake.

"Miki! Are you all right?!" Sayuri asked urgently.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine, mom. Fine. Just... More memories." Miki replied.

"Was it the statue?" Sayuri asked.

"I think so. It triggered something. Something about a coma. And a Kaiju in mourning."

Silence.

Everyone's eyes went wide and their jaws hung open.

"What?" Miki asked.

"... Let's go Miki." Sayuri urged gently.

"But-"

Miki was ushered away by Sayuri, and the entire train ride home was filled with an awkward silence. As they approached the door, Sayuri paused before opening it.

"Sweetheart... The memory you just saw is a very sensitive one to the people you're about to meet. And... To me as well. So please do your best to ease into talking about it if the subject arises. Okay?"

"Sure mom. I'll do my best."

Sayuri smiled and pushed the door open.


	4. Emotional Reunion

**Chapter 3**

_Click._

The lock on the door opened, and Sayuri pulled it back revealing the entry way of their humble abode. And as she walked inside, Miki heard the shuffling of feet not belonging to herself or her mother. A moment later, a middle-aged woman and man appeared in the doorway to the living room. And as they saw Miki, they both froze with shock emblazoned in their features.

"Ken. Akiko." Sayuri said calmly while placing her hands on Miki's shoulders. "This is my daughter, Miki."

Ken and Akiko Inouye. Leads on the team which her mother had been a part of with _her_ many years ago. Ken was now fifty-five, and Akiko forty-nine. The years had been kind to both, as neither looked out of their late thirties to early forties at most. Ken's tall frame dwarfed that of his wife, but they somehow looked perfect for one another as if they'd always been meant to be together.

"Miki. You've heard about these two. Say "hello."" Sayuri urged.

Miki took a small step forward and bowed.

"Hello, mister and missus Inouye. My name is Miki Saegusa Okumura. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Akiko's eyes began welling up, and Ken put a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he smiled and nodded his head.

"The pleasure is all ours, Miki." He said quietly.

Akiko, meanwhile, walked forward towards Miki and paused in front of her.

"… You probably get this a lot. But you look so much like her." Akiko whispered.

Miki nodded.

"You even _sound_ like her." Akiko continued.

Ken walked up and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Now, now, honey. Come on. We've a lot to talk about." He urged.

Akiko nodded, stepping back to give Miki some space.

The next thing Miki knew, she was seated across from Ken and Akiko who sat on the sofa opposite the one she and her mother sat in.

"It's been far too long, you two. How've you been?" Sayuri asked.

"We've been great, Sayuri. Thank you." Akiko replied.

"How is your son? He's at Tokyo University now, right?"

"Yes. Yes, he is. Haha. He's just like his father and wants to be an animal behaviorist." Akiko joked, gently nudging Ken's ribs.

"That's wonderful! I'm sure he's made you both proud!"

"He has, Sayuri. He has." Ken said calmly with a smile. "How about you? I don't see your husband here."

"Oh… We started living separately a few years ago. His work took him all around the world and he couldn't balance the time he spent with us. So he decided to work and live abroad."

"But you're still married, right?" Akiko asked worriedly.

"Yes, of course. We're still married, and happily so. He just… Can't be here, unfortunately. He usually comes home in the winter for the Holidays, though."

"Oh, that's good. Any time is a good thing, right?" Ken asked.

"Yes."

"Miki. I'm eager to learn about you. Sayuri's told us a lot, but I want to hear from you directly, if I may?" Akiko began. "She tells us that you've been having a bit of a rough time lately, but she won't give specifics. I don't know how much help we can be, but maybe, if you'd like to share, we could try offering advice or some helpful tips to deal with the stress? Lord knows we've seen our share of stresses in our time." Akiko said.

Miki stared somewhat vacantly at Akiko, who tilted her head in confusion.

"Are you all right?" Akiko asked.

"… Sagami Bay." Miki muttered quietly.

"What?" Akiko asked.

"Sagami Bay. That was the first place that she went with you and Ken and my mother, right?"

"Ah, I see. Sayuri told you that, didn't she?" Akiko asked, looking at Sayuri who slowly shook her head.

Akiko looked back to Miki and her smile slowly vanished. "How?" She asked.

"I had a dream about it." Miki replied.

"That's it? A dream?" Akiko asked.

Miki nodded.

"Yes. It's one of many memories I've inherited from her. Most of them are jumbled, but this memory is oddly clear… And I think it's because it doesn't involve Godzilla. He didn't show up that night."

"That's… Right. He didn't. She and your mother felt his presence, but he didn't show himself and disappeared soon after." Ken replied, placing a hand on Akiko's to help calm her.

"All the memories I've seen in my dreams that involve Godzilla are fragmented. Usually just split-second flashes. A few words here. A face there. A roar there. It's all an incoherent mess of images and moments she lived through."

"Sweetheart. Maybe you should try to focus on something else?" Sayuri suggested.

"It's fine, Akiko." Ken said. "I want to hear about these fragmented memories. Maybe we can help her piece them together."

Sayuri looked back to Miki with concern as the latter nodded at the suggestion.

"Tell us about the strongest memory." Ken said.

Miki closed her eyes.

"… Pain." Miki whispered.

"Hm?" Ken grunted.

"My left arm and right leg hurt every time this memory arises. I see two flashes of red light, like they're from a pair of eyes. A huge shadow looming over me. There's a sense of confidence, but also fear hiding deep inside. I hear Mothra's screech and the Shobijin's voices, but I can't make out what they're saying. I hear Godzilla's roar. And very briefly I can see his face. I see a hand reaching for something, but the hand falls while everything fades to darkness… And then I wake up."

As Miki opened her eyes, everyone around her had burst into tears. The sensation of their sorrow threatened to overwhelm her as she looked from face to face in a panic. Her heart rate spiked, and she started to stand up.

"I-I'm sorry. What did I-?"

Sayuri rose and wrapped Miki in her arms, urging her to sit down. Akiko buried her face in Ken's chest as he wept his tears away and forced himself to look at Miki.

"You saw her final moments." He said quietly.

"Wh-… What?" Miki asked.

"Those were her final moments." Ken repeated.

Sayuri rubbed Miki's back and wiped her tears, holding Miki's hand for support.

"So, I'm… Reliving her death?" Miki whispered.

"I think you are, sweetheart." Sayuri replied softly.

Miki slowly leaned back against the sofa. Her mind raced with questions and fought to find answers while her mother continued to hold her hand and rub her shoulder to help keep her calm. Ken and Akiko cried it out for several long minutes before they regained their composure.

"I'm sorry. It's just… Even today I still miss her so much. And I can't help but feel that we let her down in some way by not being there when she needed us the most." Akiko sniffled.

"She was alone in her last few days as Spacegodzilla continued torturing her mind. We can't even begin to understand how scared she was throughout the whole thing, or how much pain she endured before…" Ken trailed off.

"How about a different memory, then?" Sayuri suggested.

Ken nodded.

"No. This… This feels too important for all of us. I want to stick with it." Miki retorted.

Silence.

"Tell me what happened to her, please." Miki asked.

Ken took a deep breath.

"For a Kaiju, Spacegodzilla had incredible psychic powers of his own. He used them to interfere with her phone calls, stop her from leaving her apartment, and caused nightmares so she couldn't sleep. When she finally found the strength to break free and escape her apartment, he appeared before her and tortured her physically throwing her down into the street when she taunted him for being afraid of Godzilla." He began.

Akiko patted Ken's hand.

"Mothra and Godzilla both arrived to help, but it was already too late. She'd spent too much time near Godzilla and was dying of radiation poisoning. When Godzilla arrived and got close to her again, his radiation, which was at its peak due to him absorbing more radiation from nuclear plants at the time, expedited the process. She might have lived for a few more days had he not gotten so close." Akiko said.

"We can't blame Godzilla, honey." Ken replied.

"I'm not trying to shift blame. I'm just trying to put it into perspective. She was going to die either way, but because of Spacegodzilla's torment of her mind and body, and Godzilla's radiation, she died that day." Akiko finished, scooting back a bit and letting Ken take over.

"Godzilla was on his hands and knees trying to see her and encourage her to get up. And her last act was to apologize while reaching out towards him. But her hand never made it to his snout before…" Ken finished, trailing off at the end.

"How do you know these details?" Miki asked.

"The Shobijin were watching telepathically before they arrived. When they did, they were by her side at the end." Ken replied.

"I see." Miki whispered.

"So… Did you get anything from that?" Ken asked.

"… Yes." Miki replied, closing her eyes.

She could see everything Ken was describing. Being trapped in the apartment. Slamming the phone down when it failed to receive a signal to make any calls. Huddling in the corner when the ground started shaking. Breaking free and into the streets. Seeing a dark shape over the buildings glaring down at her with red eyes. Being lifted into the air and thrown down with great force. Lying down as her strength failed. Seeing the Shobijin, Mothra, and Godzilla arrive to help.

But it was her conversation with the Shobijin that came through with the most clarity…

_Miki!_

"I'm fine," she said on a whisper.

_Miki. We-… We failed you._

"No, you didn't."

_Yes, Miki. We did. We vowed to save you, but we could not._

"Correction. You said you'd save me, 'if you could.' But there was nothing you could do. I believe Sayuri found a way, but it's too late to share it with me now."

_Miki. Don't lose hope. You still have time!_

"No, Shobijin… My time has come. I can feel it."

A massive shadow to the side got closer and closer. It had to be Godzilla. But try as she might, Miki couldn't bring the memory of him into focus.

"I… I enjoyed out time together."

She laid down in the street, her body too weak to remain upright. She began reaching out towards the shadow of Godzilla.

"You gave me a life I never thought I'd have, and I regret none of it."

She could sense it. It was only a memory, but she could sense Godzilla's feelings and thoughts. He was fighting to remain calm, and he was inching closer trying to get physical contact. He wanted her to know he was there.

Was their bond really _this_ strong?

_Miki…_

The Shobijin were getting emotional. She could sense it.

"I… I am sorry, Godzilla. I let you… Down… Again…"

Her voice trailed to nothing, and she felt her arm drop to the ground.

… _Miki!_

… Everything faded to black after that.

Miki's eyes opened, and when they did, she felt a single tear drip from her left eye which she quickly wiped away. It was the first time she'd seen a memory so clearly and completely. And every emotion, whether it was hers or someone else's, had come through so strongly that she could feel them even now beating within her heart.

Miki Saegusa had been dead now for over twenty years. But the memories she left behind remained as potent as anything Miki Okumura had ever known for herself in the context of her own life.

"Sweetheart. Are you okay?" Sayuri asked.

Miki nodded slowly.

"Was that… Really what she said at the end?" Akiko asked.

Miki looked up, somewhat surprised.

"Was I talking?" She asked.

Ken nodded.

"I-… I'm sorry."

"No, no, no, sweetheart. Don't be sorry." Sayuri cooed, stroking her hair.

"We've wanted to know Miki's final words for a long time. The Shobijin refused to tell us what they were, so… It's nice to have some closure after all these years." Akiko sniffled.

Miki could sense Ken and Akiko's emotions were reaching a fever pitch. Too much more and they'd likely suffer panic attacks or emotional breakdowns.

"I think… I'd like to spend some time alone in the garden. May I please be excused?" She asked quietly.

"Of course, sweetheart. Go ahead." Sayuri whispered, kissing her cheek.

Miki rose, bowed, and left the room. Exiting the house to the backyard, she walked to her garden of day lilies and sat down in the center of the circle they formed, closing her eyes. For a few moments, they were silent. But soon, she began to hear the tiny whispers of their voices. And it brought a smile to her face.

_Good afternoon Miki. We missed you._

"I've missed you too, little ones." She whispered.

_May we have some water, please?_

"Of course."

Miki stood up and grabbed the watering can, going around the circle and giving them all a nice drink. When finished, she sat down at the center again and closed her eyes.

_Ah. That was refreshing. We thank you._

"Not at all. I'm glad I could help you."

_Can we help you?_ _We never get to do much for you in return for you taking care of us._

"It's all right. I don't do this because I want something from you."

_So, there's nothing we you need help with?_

Miki was silent for a long moment.

"… Actually, there is."

_What is it?_

"Can you… Can you help me see him?"

'_Him'?_

"Godzilla. I can't seem to visualize him in any of my dreams."

_Oh. Yes. We can help with that._

"You can?!"

_Of course. Godzilla is a child of Earth, like us. And everything in this world is connected. Please, give us some time._

Miki's heart was beating so fast she felt it would burst. Several minutes passed, and beneath the Pacific Ocean…

His body twitched, and his spines flickered to life with blue light. His fingers twitched several times before scraping through the sand and dirt beneath him as a long groan echoed through the void.

Miki gasped and leaned backwards falling onto her rear and holding her heart.

"I saw him!" She cried.

She pushed herself up and sat back down on her knees, hands clasped in front of herself as she steadied her breathing and closed her eyes again.

Godzilla's body stirred once again, and he sensed something poking at his mind. A voice? One eye fluttered open, followed by the other. Godzilla let out a long yawn with a growl scaring away all sea life within a half mile radius. And as he shook his head, removing the dust and sand from himself, he floated up into a standing position and released a powerful roar which sent a shock wave through the water.

Miki's eyes sprang open as she gasped once again.

_Are you all right?_

"Y-yes… I'm… Hhh… I'm all right." She panted.

_You must be careful. His mind and will are very powerful. If he rejects you, you could die._

"I'll… Remember that." She said breathlessly as she stood up.

"Thank you, little ones. Thank you so much!"

Miki ran inside and sprinted to her room, grabbing a sketch pad and her pencils as she began to draw Godzilla based on the vision the day lilies shared with her.

Meanwhile, beneath the ocean…

Godzilla looked around with a snarl, wondering who had just probed his mind. His massive yellow-brown eyes saw through the darkness with ease, but he saw and sensed nothing. No presence powerful enough to pose a threat. And no sensations or disturbances in the air. So, who or what had awoken him?

Within moments, it didn't matter anymore. Godzilla knew what direction that sensation had come from, and he took a single massive step in its direction.

Whatever had disturbed his slumber would pay.


	5. Godzilla's Return

**Chapter 4**

Two weeks had passed since her meeting with the Saegusa family and Ken and Akiko. The meetings had been hugely emotional for all parties concerned, which brought into perspective just how much everyone had cared for Miki Saegusa. To be brought to tears just by the sight and physical similarities Miki shared with her predecessor, to the sound of her voice and the memories she'd brought up. It left her rather shaken.

However, one good thing had come from it all.

After talking to the day lilies and sketching Godzilla's face, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was an odd feeling. An invisible weight from a burden she'd never really acknowledged being released. And every time she looked at the drawing she was overcome with a sense of comfort which was odd because she'd been afraid of Godzilla ever since she was little.

She closed her eyes...

"Come on sweetheart! We'll be late!" Her mother had said.

"I'm coming mommy!" Miki replied.

She was four, if memory served. A little bundle of cuteness with chubby cheeks and short hair with a pink bow on the side above her ear. She smiled at the memory, and let it continue.

"Pardon me, ma'am. Would you like to take part in the Godzilla VR Experience?" A man asked.

They were at a festival of some kind. And this booth was set up to honor the King of the Monsters by offering a VR experience of what it must be like to survive an up close and personal encounter with him.

"Sure! Come on sweetie!"

"Okaaay!" Miki chirped happily.

... She liked Godzilla at one point. But had been afraid of him ever since...

The VR headset was put over her eyes, and she was thrown into a devastated Tokyo with the sound of Godzilla's roar filling the room. Looking around, she spotted his head rising above a building. She was in total awe at the sight, and tried to walk closer. But he turned towards her and his hand flung debris over in her direction which scared her. Her mother gently held onto her so she wouldn't fall over, and cooed to her to not be afraid.

Godzilla walked up towards her, each foot fall bringing him closer and closer and closer. He was so huge she was looking straight up, and he wasn't even at her location yet.

But that's not what was scaring her four-year old self during this experience.

But try as she might to recall what it was, exactly, she couldn't. All she knew is that she fell, and the next thing she _did_ remember clearly was her mother taking off the VR headset.

"Are you all right sweetheart?!" She asked frantically.

Miki remembered trembling and crying, burying her face in her mother's chest as she was picked up and walked out of the booth and to a quiet bench nearby. Sitting in her mother's lap, young Miki continued to cry uncontrollably as her mother cooed to her and stroked her hair. It always calmed her down before, but this time it wasn't working.

She didn't remember what memory had been triggered by the VR experience, but this was the moment in her early life which caused the memory fragmentation and her fear of Godzilla growing up.

So for her to take comfort in her drawing of Godzilla's face, which had been so clearly shown to her by the day lilies, was an odd feeling.

_Knock. Knock._

"Sweetheart? May I come in?"

"Yes, mother." She called.

Sayuri entered the room with a small bow of her head.

"Hi sweetie. You doing all right? You've been in here all day."

"Yeah. I'm okay, mom. Just... Thinking."

"What about?"

"Godzilla."

"Oh?" Sayuri asked, perking up a little.

"Yeah. I spoke to the day lilies after I excused myself from the conversation with Ken and Akiko. And they were able to help me see Godzilla."

"Really? I didn't know they could do that!" Sayuri exclaimed excitedly.

"Me either. I asked if they could do that really on a whim. But they did it."

"What did they say?"

"They said that Godzilla was a child of Earth, and that all of them were connected somehow."

"Ah, that makes sense. I vaguely recall the Shobijin saying something similar once."

"After talking to them, I ran inside and sketched his face as best I could." Miki said, pointing to her sketch which was hanging on the wall.

"Oh... Wow..." Sayuri said, walking over towards it.

"It's _beautiful_, sweetheart... It looks exactly like him." She whispered, reaching out and gently touching the picture.

And indeed, it _did_ look exactly like him. Down to every last detail in his scales and every wrinkle in his skin, it was captured in almost perfect photorealism.

He was in ¾ view from the middle of his chest up, looking to the left side of the page. His nose was tipped down just slightly, allowing his eyes to gaze forward towards whatever threat he was facing. The ridges over his eyes were drawn down to a point at the bridge of his snout, and his lips curled up in a snarl. All of his teeth were in near perfect condition, with only one being slightly cracked. Likely from a territorial dispute with another Kaiju at some point in the recent past.

With broad shoulders, and thick, muscular neck, and a prominent pair of ridged scales along either side of the neck with spike-like protrusions near the bases where it connected to the shoulder, he was an imposing figure. The spikes on his back were especially interesting. While they shared the same basic maple-leaf shape, each individual spike on each plate pointed a slightly different direction from the next which made them look less uniform down his back. It gave him an almost unruly appearance, but nevertheless an imposing one given the size of them.

But it was the eyes which drew Sayuri in and brought her mind back to that day on Infant Island when she met this latest member of the family for the first time.

"You always did have a passion for drawing. But this... It's your best work, without a doubt."

"Thanks, mom."

Sayuri turned around.

"You said they helped you see him, right?"

Miki nodded.

"Did they do anything else? Like, could you hear him?"

Miki shook her head.

"I see... But you saw him clearly. No haze or anything, right?"

Miki nodded.

"Okay... Did... Could you sense his emotions at all?"

"I tried."

"But no luck?"

Miki nodded.

"Oh..."

"Is something wrong, mom?"

"No it's... Just a feeling."

"What kind?"

"Ah. I'm probably just being paranoid."

"Mom? What kind of feeling?"

"It's nothing, dear. Really."

"Mom! You always tell me not to hide things from you. Don't do it to me, please."

"I... Ah... Okay. It's just... Godzilla's a strong, proud creature. When Saegusa was first trying to establish a connection with him, he was very defensive. He pushed her out and blocked her on numerous occasions. So, I'm worried that if he sensed you reaching out like that through the day lilies..."

"He'll feel that I'm a threat and come find me?"

"I believe so. But he's met you before, so that shouldn't be the case."

Miki nodded, and looked out the window towards the clouds floating lazily overhead.

Beneath the Pacific Ocean...

To his left, massive underwater sand dunes. To his right, a crevasse leading down into the darkness. All around him schools of fish and deep sea dwellers scattered for cover or disappeared into the gloom. Each step which plowed into the Earth beneath him sent up a wave of dust which now trailed behind him almost like an underwater forest fire.

Godzilla roared, sending a shockwave through the water, and this concussive burst caught the attention of a submarine several miles as it vibrated in response to being struck by it.

"What was _that_?" The Captain asked.

"Unknown, Captain." The First Mate replied.

"Can anyone pinpoint the source?" The Captain asked.

"Yes, sir! Below us, on the ocean floor!" Called one of the sonar operators.

"Get us down there. I want to see what caused it." The Captain replied.

The sub dove into the depths. With each minute that passed on its descent, the crew felt the pressure in the vessel increase.

"This is as low as we can take her safely, Captain."

"Fine. Get a visual down there. We should be close enough." He replied.

The sub suddenly began vibrating again, but this time in response to a strange vocalization of some kind.

"What was _that_?" The Captain asked.

"Captain! Our drone is picking up an image!" Called an operator.

"Put it on the main monitor!" The Captain ordered.

A moment later, an image of the almost fiery sand and dust kicked up by whatever had passed through the area appeared on screen. Everyone stared in awe, and the Captain ordered the drone to continue forward to find the source. As it passed the dust and dirt, something rose up out of it. A long, dark, slender object resembling a snake rose out of the storm and then retreated back inside.

"What the..." The Captain muttered.

Continuing forward, the drone picked up the first of many oddly shaped spikes. Then another, and another. Following the trail up at an angle, the crew spotted an arm with four claws, a neck, and then the head and face as it turned towards the drone with a snarl.

"... No." The Captain said quietly.

The spines flashed blue, and a glow from within his mouth emerged before he opened his gaping maw and the screen was overtaken by a flash of light before cutting to static. An instant later the sub was hit with another concussive wave which was strong enough to rock the vessel and spring several leaks.

"Get us out of here!" The Captain ordered.

The sub shot to full speed up and away from Godzilla's lumbering form with his eyes trailing it the whole way.

It wasn't his target, so he made no effort to pursue. Instead, he marched on unimpeded through the darkness towards his destination.

And the following morning...

_We interrupt this broadcast for an emergency news bulletin! Godzilla, thought to have gone extinct following the death of his three family members over twenty years ago, has just been sighted in the Pacific Ocean heading directly for Tokyo, Japan! Repeat! Godzilla has been sighted and is heading for Tokyo, Japan! All citizens are hereby ordered to evacuate immediately! This is not a drill! Repeat! This is not a drill!_

The entire world was thrown into a media frenzy as the return of Godzilla became an instant global announcement. All world governments were now on high alert, and all military's mobilized for deployment should the worst happen. As per the Kaiju Coexistence Effort (KCE, for short), the military would not attack Godzilla unless he began deliberately attacking the city or the populace. But the Japanese government especially was taking no chances, and had prepared an Anti-Kaiju arsenal which had been developed over the last two decades to deal with Kaiju of any size.

Meanwhile, in their home, Miki and Sayuri watched the announcement in silence. Sayuri's face lost some of its color, and Miki's heart rate increased greatly despite the calm exterior she put on.

Sayuri looked at her daughter, and without needing to say anything...

"You were right, mom... He's coming for me." Miki said softly.

The footage taken by the sub of Godzilla up until the breath which sent the image to static played on a loop. Miki grabbed the remote and turned the TV off, standing from her chair and walking towards the stairs.

"Miki?"

Miki paused on the first step.

"If I've interpreted Saegusa's memory fragments correctly, Godzilla can sense me now that I've made some form of contact. That means he'll track me wherever I go. If I evacuate the city, he'll just keep following me. And that will put more people in danger."

"What are you going to do?"

Miki looked over her shoulder.

"I'm going to meet him at the edge of the bay, and ask the Shobijin for some help."

Sayuri nodded.

"I'll go too. I made contact with him that day, so he should remember me if all else fails."

Miki nodded slowly, not really wanting her mother to put herself in danger like this. But if it helped her stop Godzilla from seeing her as a threat and endangering Tokyo and its people, then so be it.

Miki went upstairs and sat on her bed. Closing her eyes as she rested her hands in her lap, she took a deep breath.

"Shobijin... Can you hear me?"


	6. Close Encounter

**Chapter 5**

A full evacuation of Tokyo and its citizens took less than a day. And by the following day, with Godzilla expected to make land fall at approximately 3pm, the city was a ghost town.

It was now 1:30pm.

Miki and Sayuri had made their way towards Tokyo Bay, by walking the roads all the way to Haneda Airport. Once there, they walked to the farthest runway on the water and sat down in the grass to wait for Godzilla.

An hour and a half is a long time to wait. And knowing who they were waiting for had both women nervous. They sat close together and tried their best to make small talk. But their attempts yielded no substantial results. In the end, they chose to sit quietly.

However, it didn't take long for the news choppers to enter the air space, followed swiftly by military aircraft. All around the bay there were tanks, missile silos, foot soldiers with guns, and strange box-like cargo trucks with tarps over them. Miki arched an eyebrow upon spotting one such truck, but she paid it no mind as she returned her eyes to the water.

"You think he'll recognize me?"

"I'm sure he will, sweetheart. It's hard not to recognize your unique mental footprint."

"Mine, or hers?"

"Yours, sweetheart."

Sayuri rubbed Miki's back and pat her shoulder, and Miki managed a weak smile before a savage gust of wind practically blew them both backwards and rolling through the grass. A military chopper had descended right next to them, and as they stabilized themselves they were soon surrounded by soliders.

"Ladies, you need to come with us. Now!" One soldier barked.

"This city was ordered to evacuate. Please get on the chopper." Said another.

"I can't." Miki said, shaking her head.

"It wasn't a request." Said the first soldier.

As he came forward, Miki frowned and the man froze in place.

"What the-" The second solider yelled as the first was thrown backwards across the grass.

Sayuri put her hand over her mouth as Miki put her hands up.

"I don't want to hurt any of you. But I have to stay here. I need to see Godzilla." She said as calmly as she could.

"This isn't a game, girl! I don't care how much of a fan you are! You don't just get to _see_ him! Now get on the chopper!" A third soldier yelled.

"I'm not a fan!" Miki barked in return.

"Then get on the fucking chopper!" The soldier said, raising his gun.

"Godzilla's coming here because of _me_!"

"The hell he is. Get on the-"

Miki's frown deepened, and all of the weapons the men carried were suddenly ripped from their hands and thrown out into the water. Sayuri stood up and stood behind Miki, hands on her shoulders and hoping the situation didn't go from bad to worse because of this.

"What the hell happened?!" One cried.

"I don't know! It's like it was ripped out of my hands!" Shouted another.

"My name is Miki Saegusa Okumura! I'm a psychic, and I threw your guns away!"

"Are... Are you _on_ something, kid?"

Miki's fists clenched and the man was lifted into the air. All the others backed away a step, and Sayuri gipped Miki's shoulders.

"Miki, no! Put him down, right now!" She ordered.

The soldier was slowly lowered to the ground, and backed away a few steps.

"Please... Leave now. He's here for me. You're only putting yourselves in danger by staying close to me." Miki urged.

"I don't know what the hell just happened, but I'm out!" The soldier she lifted shouted.

He raced back towards the chopper, not bothering to chase after his gun in the water. Others did the same, and before long they all begrudgingly had piled in and the chopper lifted off. Once it was airborne, the pilot spoke to them over a loudspeaker.

"You two can't stay here. Tokyo Bay is likely to turn into a war zone when he gets here." He said.

Miki shook her head.

_No, it won't._ She said through telepathy.

For a brief instant, "who the-" came through the loudspeaker before it cut out and the chopper booked it to a safer distance. However, another chopper descended towards them. It resembled a news chopper, but the logo wasn't one either woman recognized. Out from the chopper stepped a man in a fine black tuxedo with a white rose on his lapel, with a pair of expensive sunglasses to finish the ensemble. He approached them with a light bow and a smile, but received only a glare from Miki in return.

"Ladies. The city was ordered to evacuate. Why are you still here?" He asked pleasantly.

"Godzilla's here because of me. If I evacuate, he'll follow me."

"Oh ho ho! So he's a fan of yours?"

"No. I'm-"

_STOP!_

Miki gasped. It was the Shobijin.

_Miki! You must leave, immediately. We can lure Godzilla away on your behalf. But if you let the government discover you violating an evacuation order to commune with Godzilla, the consequences will be severe!_

"Wait. If Miki is able to turn Godzilla away peacefully, then-" Sayuri began.

_The government will only desire her power that much more. The worldwide Kaiju Coexistence Effort would stop at nothing to control you and your power, and eventually just keeping the Kaiju at bay won't be enough. They'll seek to control them, as well. And we dare not guess at what the results could be if that were to happen, nor what they'd be willing to subject you to in order to accomplish that goal._

"Someone I should know about making a call?" The man asked.

Sayuri glared at him.

"Shobijin... I'm sorry. But deep in my heart I know I _have_ to do this. I _have_ to make contact with him. I don't know why. But I've never been more certain of anything in all my life. Please, leave me be. Whatever the consequences are, I'll deal with them. And I won't let you down. I promise."

_... Be careful, Miki._

"Thank you."

"Safe to talk, now?" He asked.

"Who are you?" Miki barked.

"My name is Tatsuya Miyamoto. I'm the head of the Kaiju Coexistence Effort. A pleasure to meet you both." He said, coming forward and extending a hand.

"What do you want?" Miki asked.

"More or less the same as you. I want Godzilla to leave peacefully so the governments of the world can see that our coexistence with Kaiju is possible and stop trying to shut us down."

His words were nice, but Miki kept a wary eye on him.

"So you two are dead set on staying here, eh?"

Miki nodded firmly.

"Very well. Then at least let us offer to take you to a safer location. Surely right on the water, you can agree, is a foolhardy place to be."

Miki shook her head.

"As you wish. Let's go." He called, giving a hand gesture sending everyone with him back into his chopper.

The instant his chopper took off, a concussive wave, accompanied by _his_ roar, erupted from out in the middle of Tokyo Bay. The shockwave caused a wave of water to screech across the surface of the ocean and slam into the shore, putting both Sayuri and Miki knee deep in water which threatened to topple them both and suck them out into the frigid waters. The chopper wavered in its course, red warning alarms blaring. The pilot managed to right the vehicle and guided it safely out of the area.

Around the bay, the tarps began flying off the strange military vehicles revealing a strange satellite dish-looking device with a triangular set of bars running along the dish's top and bottom sectors. At the middle was a bar with a small circular end, and Miki noticed that there was nothing immediately next to any of them. No tanks. No troops. Nothing. All were given a wide berth and positioned at specific intervals around the Bay.

Meanwhile, a mound of water emerged from the horizon. And within seconds of its arrival it was assaulted from below by three rows of maple-leaf shaped spikes running along the back of none other than the latest member of the Godzilla family. The edges were a silver-white, leading to the charcoal gray body color his family was famous for. And as he got closer Miki's heart rate spiked.

He slowed to a stop and floated in the water for a moment before his back dipped slightly and then the water above his head exploded into the air as he swiftly stood up knee deep in the water while unleashing an ear-splitting roar forcing Miki and Sayuri, as well as all the troops, to cover their ears.

Godzilla's eyes scanned the shore from right to left, and upon locating Miki on the shore his eyes narrowed while his body turned to face her.

Sayuri tried to hold Miki's hand, but Miki walked forward towards Godzilla until she was knee deep in the now calm waters of Tokyo Bay.

And for a long, long time, the two only stared at one another.

All around them the military waited with bated breath while news choppers circled the area.

_This is the NHK, coming to you live from Tokyo Bay! Godzilla has halted his advance and is now staring at two people standing on shore. Just what's going on here?_

_This is the Nippon News Network, coming to you live from Tokyo Bay! Godzilla has arrived and is standing in the center of the Bay looking at two women standing on the shoreline! It seems like the military is respecting the agreement with the Kaiju Coexistence Effort for now, but their latest weapons tech, yet to be revealed by name to the public, are ready in anticipation of any aggressive behavior by Godzilla!_

Down at the water's edge, Sayuri kept her hands together and breathed slowly as she kept her eyes on Godzilla.

The mighty Kaiju remained still as stone snarling down at Miki. The muscles in his nose and along his lips twitched and wrinkled as he released sub-sonic warnings which she could feel in her chest. But Miki held firm. She showed no signs of fear towards him, but wasn't being aggressive about her bravery either. She remained calm, and extended that sense of tranquility as best she could like she did with the flowers. But Godzilla didn't seem to be calming down.

He took a few steps towards them, and Sayuri's heart leaped into her throat as she looked at Miki.

"Sweetheart?" She asked.

Miki's eyes closed, and all went quiet as she was enveloped in darkness.

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_Is it my heart, or his?_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_... Mine._

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_I need to find his heartbeat._

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

Miki's concentration intensified, and a second heartbeat began to echo her own. But it was from behind her.

_Mother's heartbeat. It's erratic._ _So where's his?_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

It was so quiet she almost didn't hear it at first, but when it came a second time the roar was unmistakable.

_There you are... Now..._

The roar grew louder and louder, and a heartbeat began to ring out along with it. But as Miki was finally beginning to hear it clearly, she was literally yanked out of her concentration by her mother. And as her eyes opened she noticed that Godzilla was charging his thermonuclear breath, and taking aim directly at them. Miki's eyes widened as she was suddenly thrust back into that VR experience as a child seeing Godzilla glaring down at her.

But before Godzilla could launch his attack, he suddenly stopped and jerked his head to the side.

Miki looked up to the skies and heard the shriek of Mothra but an instant before she burst through the clouds like the wrath of God and hovered near the end of Tokyo Bay. Godzilla snarled at her, and a Kaiju conversation ensued. Miki and Sayuri watched anxiously, and Miki trembled both in fear and shame while her mother supported her.

Minutes passed, and with each second that ticked by it felt like a fight could break out at any second. However, luck smiled upon them this day. Mothra floated up a bit higher in the air, and Godzilla sent one last glare Miki's way before wading out into the Bay and disappearing beneath the waves. Miki's trembling intensified, and Mothra turned towards the pair as two familiar voices entered their minds.

_Miki... We hope that this day serves as a lesson for you._

"A lesson about what?" She asked through a quivering voice.

_You're not ready._

Normally she would protest, but the weight on her heart instead forced her to hang her head as Mothra flew up and disappeared into the clouds from whence she came. Sayuri rubbed Miki's shoulders and gave her a hug before leading her back through the streets towards home. However, they were picked up by the military and taken to a secure facility to await further information, and potential criminal charges.


	7. Striking a Deal

**Chapter 6**

In a large, circular room seated before a lineup of finely dressed individuals, Miki sat alone under a spotlight in her face which prevented her from seeing their faces.

"Miss Okumura, do you understand the severity of the implications against you?" Asked the man in the center.

Miki nodded.

"Have you a _proper_ explanation for why you disobeyed an order of evacuation and approached Tokyo Bay while simultaneously using your psychic abilities to disarm Japanese military personnel?"

Miki's lips tightened.

"… We're waiting, miss Okumura. If you cannot provide a satisfactory explanation, you and your mother will be held in contempt and sentenced to prison."

Miki squinted against the light as she looked towards the man speaking.

"Where is my mother?"

"Safe."

"That's not an answer." She growled.

"As was your previous statement about why you disobeyed the evacuation order and disarmed military personnel… Don't test us, miss Okumura."

"I told you exactly what you wanted to know. How many times do I have to say it?"

"We want a _proper_ explanation. Not a childish stream of nonsense."

"You don't have psychic abilities, so what gives you the right to label my words as '_nonsense_?'"

"Your words. Quote. "_Godzilla was coming for me. If I left the city, he would have followed me and more destruction would have occurred. Besides, I need to connect with him. That's all you need to know._" How can I hear that and not label it as nonsense?"

"Without psychic abilities, you'll never understand what I have to say."

"Try me, miss Okumura."

"I _did_ try. That quote you just read off is everything you need to know to understand my situation, but you don't understand because you're ignorant."

"_Excuse _me?"

"You heard me right."

"… You have five seconds to rephrase your comment, miss Okumura."

"No. You and everyone sitting around you are so far removed from what's happening it's not worth my time to explain further. You have my honest answer to why I ignored the evacuation order and disarmed those soldiers. I won't repeat myself to satisfy your ego and let you think you have any level of control over me."

"Miss Okumura, you are, effective immediately, sentenced to prison for a time to be determined by this council. Furthermore, you will-"

The doors in the back of the room suddenly flew open, and Tatsuya Miyamoto sauntered in.

"Ladies and gentlemen of this esteemed council, I humbly request a moment of your time." He announced.

"Mister Miyamoto. Have you a reason for interrupting this hearing?"

"Yes, sir. This young woman is filled with potential, and it would be a waste of her abilities as a psychic to lock her away. On behalf of the Kaiju Coexistence Effort, I request she be placed under our supervision and authority indefinitely as part of our operation to ensure that kaiju everywhere remain safely away from civilization."

"And why should this request be honored?"

"Because humanity stands to benefit from her powers working in tandem with our efforts, and it will cost the Japanese government nothing. In fact, it's no exaggeration to say that she would single handedly become humanity's savior in this regard. Her powers alone would be enough if used the right way, saving our organization, and Japan by proxy, innumerable supplies, resources, manpower, and time."

The council glanced between themselves with Miki glaring daggers at Miyamoto, who winked at her with a smile.

"This council will take a brief recess to discuss your request, mister Miyamoto. Until then, both of you are to remain where you are."

The council stood up and departed the room, and the bright lights turned off as the door was shut behind them.

"So, miss Okumura. How are you?"

"You're not serious about trying to recruit me like this, are you?"

"Why wouldn't I be? Your abilities are literally a perfect fit for our organization's efforts. I'm not sure why you wouldn't be excited about this, as it's also a perfect way for you to fulfil your desire to see Godzilla up close. We have the means to make that happen almost anywhere in the world at any time, after all."

Miki continued glaring silently at him.

"Well, I see I have your attention. If you have telepathy, by all means read my mind. I've nothing to hide." He said, holding his arms out to the sides.

Miki did in fact probe his mind, and much to her surprise, though she didn't let it become outwardly clear, she didn't find anything that contradicted his claim. If anything, his thoughts were incredibly honest. Thanks to her mother, she'd learned never to fully trust people like this. However, she'd give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

"Hmm. That's a 'no' then?"

No response.

"Very well. You're free to do as you please for now, miss Okumura. So long as you stay in the room, of course. It wouldn't do to have you ignore their-"

Miki stood up and moved towards the exit.

"Miss Okumura. If you walk out those doors there will be nothing I can do for you. You know that, right?"

She continued walking.

"You want to try to connect with Godzilla again, right? We know how you can do that."

She paused momentarily a few steps from the doors.

"He's sleeping beneath the Pacific Ocean right now, near the edge of the Mariana Trench. It's one of his favorite places to be. And correct me if I'm wrong, but your predecessor connected with him on much more neutral ground. Did she not?"

Miki looked over her shoulder.

"… You don't know, do you?"

She turned all the way around, slowly.

"You _do_ know the story of their first visual contact, right?"

No response.

"Allow me to relay the story, then. Since we have time. Ahem… It was quiet night in early April, 2014. She was with her team not far from where you were at Tokyo Bay, actually. She'd prodded his mind a few times before this, but this night saw their first true connection as Godzilla managed to quietly enter the bay without alerting the city to his presence. We had far fewer sensors in place to detect him back then, you see. The two of them formed a mental connection first, followed by a visual one. We have a fully detailed report which we attained from miss Akiko's records if you'd like to read it."

Miki sighed quietly and used her telekinesis to shut the doors behind her as she walked back to her chair and sat down, still glaring at Miyamoto.

"I'll take that as a "yes," and presume your cooperation from here on out. Once they come back, leave the talking to me. And once we're out of here, I'll see that you receive a copy of the records of that night's events."

"Everything." She replied.

"Pardon?"

"I want _everything_ you have about my mother's team's records. And I mean _everything_."

"You've got a deal! And hey, just so you're aware… We have another psychic working in our employ who can help you with developing your powers."

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Chiharu Kamimura. And, unless I'm mistaken, her mother crossed paths with your predecessor."

"Who was her mother?"

"We have no records of her real name. But she went by the moniker "_Harmony_," if that means anything to you."

Miki remained silent.

"No? Then you might want to ask your mother about it since she was there too. But for now, we should-"

The bright lights flashed on once more, blinding both as the doors opened on the sides and the council came back to their seats.

"Mister Miyamoto, we've decided to grant your request. Miss Okumura is now your responsibility. And I hope you understand the consequences of this agreement."

"Of course, Councilman. Thank you very much." He said with a bow.

"Miss Okumura. You are henceforth entirely under mister Miyamoto's supervision. Any deviations from this order and you will be sent straight to prison. This hearing is now adjourned."

The councilmen left the room, and the lights shut off as the room's work lights came up. Miyamoto stretched his arms and removed his suit jacket, hanging it over his shoulder.

"Well then. Shall we be off? We've got a lot to get you caught up on!" He said happily.

Miki stood up and followed him out of the room.

Meanwhile, on Infant Island the Shobijin had been watching and glanced worriedly at one another.

_Please be careful, Miki_. They whispered as they held hands.

Behind them, perched atop her temple, Mothra screeched towards the skies.


	8. Meet Your Team

**Chapter 7**

_CLANG!_

"Dammit all, Hans! I told you to be _careful_!" A young woman shouted to a much larger, muscular man of Caucasian descent with short cropped blonde hair and hazel eyes.

"Apology. I will be careful." He replied.

"Your Japanese needs work. Clean that all up please." The woman asked.

The pair of them skittered about a laboratory room with numerous monitors, chemical tables, cabinets stuffed full of physical documents, a small kitchen area, and a lounge area. As the door opened up in the back, Hans glanced warily towards the sound as Miyamoto walked through followed by Miki.

"Ah, miss Kamimura. Hans. How are you?"

"Hans is fine." The burly man replied.

"Miyamoto! You slug! How long did you plan to keep me waiting?! We have no time for dilly dallying!" Chiharu shouted, running about and organizing documents, turning a monitor screen slightly, and connecting cables between machines Miki had didn't dare guess the purpose of.

"Of course, miss Kamimura. My apologies. But I brought you a new psychic assistant. Her name's-"

"Just put her over there, please! I'll be with you in a moment!" She interjected, pointing towards the lounge.

Miyamoto chuckled.

"She's a bit eager, but she's got a good heart. Please wait over there miss Okumura. I have other business to attend to so I have to leave. Good evening."

Miyamoto exited the room, leaving Miki to stare up at Hans who towered over her at nearly seven feet in height.

"Hans." He said, holding out a massive hand towards her.

"Miki." She replied, shaking his hand.

He was surprisingly gentle for a man so large.

"Hans is Chi-san's helper." He said.

"It's Chi_haru_, mister. Miss Kamimura to you, miss whoever you are. Just give me a moment." Chiharu called, tracking cables between machines and making a few re-connections.

"Please. Sit." Hans said, gesturing to a chair he pulled up for Miki.

Miki sat down, giving him a thankful nod which he returned.

"Monitor HDMI connection, check. Hard drive, okay. Video file location… Video file location… Ah, here! Good."

Chiharu clapped her hands as the monitor began loading the video she selected, and she trotted over to Miki before stumbling and falling over a larger power cable and falling onto her face with her glasses sliding to Miki's feet.

"Owwwwww…" She groaned.

Miki picked up her glasses and held them out.

"Need help?" She asked.

Chiharu looked up, squinting a bit, and took her glasses.

"Nope! I'm fine! I'm good!" She said as she hopped up to her feet and extended a hand.

"Chiharu Kamimura! Leading Kaiju Coexistence Researcher! And you are…"

"Miki Saegusa Okumura." She replied, taking Chiharu's hand.

Chiharu's face froze before slowly shifting to one of scorn as she quickly batted Miki's hand away.

"Saegusa… Then you're related to that woman who got my mother killed?" She growled.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb!" Chiharu shouted.

"My mother had developed the first Kaiju Containment facility underground which she was able to use to trap Godzilla back in 2014. But that woman, Miki Saegsua, ruined everything and helped Godzilla break free! My mother was killed by Godzilla's breath because of her!"

"I don't know anything about that event!" Miki shouted, standing up eye to eye with Chiharu.

"Ladies, please. No fighting." Hans asked.

"Shut it, Hans! Your last name might be different, but two thirds of your name being the same as hers is good enough for me."

"Good enough for _what_?" Miki demanded.

"To throw your pretty little backside _out_ of my lab forever! Now get out of here!" She screamed, pointing towards the door.

"Fine! I don't want to be here anyway!" Miki screamed back as she stomped towards the door.

However, as Miki threw the door open, she was greeted by an armed soldier.

"Apologies, miss. But you're not allowed to leave. Mister Miyamoto's orders."

"What?!" Chiharu shouted, shoving Miki out of the way.

"I want her _gone_! I _refuse_ to work with a girl who shares blame for my mother's death!" She continued.

"Sorry miss. You don't have a choice. She's your assistant, like it or not."

"That's _bullshit_! Get Miyamoto down here at once!"

"Orders are orders, miss. I'm sorry."

Chiharu exclaimed and threw her hands in the air as she stomped back into her lab. Miki, meanwhile, leaned against the wall with Hans looking rather sad as he glanced back and forth between them.

"Of all people to send here to _help_ me… He had to choose _you_." She mumbled as she leaned on a table.

"I was forced to work for this organization to avoid a prison sentence. So, shut up and do your thing. I'll just watch."

"Don't you _dare_ try ordering me around in _my_ lab! This is _my_ space! This is _my_ equipment! And this is _my_ haven! _You_ can shut up and sit in the corner for all I care!" She shouted.

Miki calmly walked to the corner and sat down, leaning against the wall with her arms around her knees while Chiharu huffed through her nose and marched to her computer to view the now fully loaded video file. Hans, meanwhile, sat down in a chair near Miki.

"Hans is engineer. He keeps machines working. What is miss Okumura?" He asked pleasantly.

"I'm a psychic."

"So, you is mind person?"

"That's… One way to put it. Yes."

"Hans is smart too. But he can't do mind things."

"That's probably for the best. It's not as nice as it might sound."

"Hans thinks it sounds painful."

"Painful? Why?"

"Brain is muscle. Muscle being worked too hard can break. Fixing brain isn't easy like fixing machine."

Miki chuckled.

"That's true. But don't worry. I have no intention of letting my mind break."

"This is good. Hans doesn't want anyone's brain to break."

"I don't either."

"Yours is already broken." Chiharu called without looking away from her monitor.

"Where do you come from, Hans?" Miki asked.

"Hans was born in Stuttgart, Germany. He learned Japanese language in college in exchange program."

"Oh? Where did you go in Japan?"

"Hans went to Hokkaido University for exchange. One year. Learned lots."

"It sounds like fun."

"Hans had fun. Lots of fun. Built many machines and computers for university program."

"What for?"

"Finding monsters."

"O-oh… You were training for that even in college?"

"Yes. Hans was getting ready to join Kaiju Co-Living Effort."

"Was it your own choice?"

"Yes. Hans wanted to help monsters live with people."

"That's nice of you… Most people _don't_ want that to happen."

"Like you?" Chiharu called.

Miki glanced to Chiharu with a blank expression.

"Hans likes monsters. Monsters are important. Mothra is Hans' favorite."

"Why's that, if I may ask?"

"Because she is guardian monster. She protects humans. She saved Hans' city from other monster when Hans was little."

"I see. That sounds like her."

"Hans is grateful to be here. Work is good."

Miki smiled and rested her head on her knees.

"I'm happy for you, Hans."

"Thanks to you."

Miki chuckled.

"'_Thank you_,' Hans. The phrase is '_thank you_.'"

"Oh. Thank you."

"Good job."

"Hans! I need you!" Chiharu called.

"Hans is coming!" He replied as he stood up. "Have good rest, miss Okumura. Hans will talk more later."

He trotted over to Chiharu and helped her with her work as Miki slowly fell asleep.

In the darkness of her dreams, Miki floated above a body of water which was only visible because of light reflections on the water which came from a source of light not visible to her.

"Hello?" She called.

Her own voice echoed back at her.

"Dammit." She mumbled.

Looking around, Miki saw nothing.

"Wait… Didn't mom say something about these kinds of dreams before?" She asked aloud.

Again, her voice echoed back at her as she closed her eyes.

"_Now listen, Miki. From time to time, you're going to find yourself in a world of darkness. Don't be afraid of these moments. Because often, if you concentrate, you can make amazing things happen. It's how I was able to connect with Saegusa again after she died, and how I truly solidified my own bond with the original Godzilla._" Her mother said in a flashback.

Miki's eyes slowly opened, and she began to concentrate.

"I need to find Godzilla's heartbeat." She whispered.

She focused first on her own heartbeat.

_**Thump. Thump.**_

_**Thump. Thump.**_

"Okay. There's my heart. Now… Where is _yours_, big guy?" She asked.

Time ticked by slowly, but no matter how long she concentrated she was unable to locate Godzilla's heart. Her jaw clenched, and she let out a soft growl.

"Dammit! Why can't I find it?!" She exclaimed.

"_Miki. Remember never to fight these moments. They're there for a reason. It might not always be the reason you want or are hoping for. But it will always be important. So, try to remember to relax and let these moments flow._" Her mother said.

"… Okay… Deep breath, Miki."

_Inhale… Exhale…_

Her heartbeat faded to nothing, and Miki's world went silent. Even the sound of her breathing had vanished into the void. And all she could process was the sound of silence. However, despite trying to relax and let the moment flow, she couldn't see or sense anything. And when she opened her eyes, she was still surrounded by darkness.

A single tear dripped down her cheek to the water below, creating the first sound she'd heard in a long time.

"Why can't I see anything?" She whispered.

She glanced around frantically, searching for anything. A single new sight. A new sound._ Anything._ But no matter where she looked, nothing greeted her.

"What am I supposed to do? Is there some kind of password? Do I need to say or do something specific?" She asked aloud.

Nothing.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" She shrieked at the top of her lungs into the void.

Her final word, "me," echoed numerous times as she fell to her knees and gripped her shoulders.

"I want to go home… I want to wake up. Please. Just let me out of here." She sobbed.

Silence.

"I'm-… I'm scared." She whispered.

Suddenly, Miki felt a hand on her shoulder.

She spun around rapidly, but still she saw nothing.

"Hello?" She sniffled.

No reply.

"Hello?!" She called.

It took a moment, but she finally heard an unintelligible whisper echoing softly through the darkness.

"Who are you?!" She called.

The whisper faded to nothing.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Come back! Please! Don't leave me alone like this!" She cried.

As her own voice's echo faded, the whisper returned. However, it was still unintelligible.

_Inhale… Exhale…_

"Relax, Miki. Let it flow." She whispered as she wiped her tears.

Through slow, steady breaths, Miki calmed her heart and mind. And with each passing second, the whisper grew slightly louder. She still couldn't make out what it was saying, nor could she identify the voice. But it was a calm, gentle, distinctly feminine voice. The Shobijin maybe? No. It was a bit deeper than their voices.

A silhouette began to form in the distance. It was a woman, and it looked like she was walking. But she wasn't getting any closer. Was it because Miki was still resisting in some way?... No. She was perfectly calm and doing her best to be receptive to this vision. So, what was preventing this woman from approaching and coming into view?

Miki took a deep breath and sat down.

"I'm trying too hard, aren't I?"

Again, there was the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. Miki's eyes opened slowly, but as she glanced over to look, there was no hand present. Only the sensation. She looked at the silhouette, which had since disappeared along with the whispers.

"Am I not ready for this either?"

The sensation of the hand vanished, and slowly the world began to glow white until…

Her eyes opened, and she slowly sat upright feeling her face. The tears had been real. Whether anything else was real was open to interpretation. But her frustration, fear, and shame were real enough. She wiped the tears away quickly as Hans began approaching.

"Miss Okumura? Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, Hans. Thank you."

"Good. Chi-san is going to bed. You should probably go find place to sleep."

"I think I will. Thank you."

With that, Hans led her to the room which would serve, more or less, as her home for as long as she was here. And as she laid down, she stared at the ceiling as a thought struck her.

"… Is mom okay?" She whispered.


	9. Reliving The Past

**Chapter 8**

If you've ever put a seashell to your ear and heard the ocean waves, you're already there...

That soft, soothing sound danced over a pointed ear bringing a sense of tranquility to the world which lulled him into a deep sleep. Over his head and around his back swam several schools of fish, a few sharks gliding through the area, and even a whale accompanied by several manta rays. Despite the size differences, once would think there was a universal truce among them as they all seemed to take pleasure in sharing this space.

And as the sounds of the ocean tucked him into bed and kissed his weary mind goodnight, the slumbering giant slipped into that reality-bending world of dreams.

... Time ceases to be, and the echoes of the past always find a way to return.

How long ago was this vision? Ten years? Twenty? Perhaps more?

He was racing through the water towards shore. But which shore? Did it matter? There was a boat ahead. And as he approached he dipped down well beneath the waves before gripping it in his jaws and launching himself into a standing position. He held it firmly for a few seconds, and then crunched it in half with one powerful bite.

Spitting out the excess wood and debris, he looked down at the shoreline where he saw a bunch of humans... Including that girl from before.

Back in the present, he snarled in his sleep and emitted a growl which sent the fish swimming around him scattering into the gloom.

In his dream, he took in the measure of the girl. Her face was slightly different from what he remembered of the encounter the other day. Her cheeks were a bit rounder in this vision. And her hair was different too. Was it just how these puny creatures changed over time? Whatever. She dies here, surely.

But no. Instead, he walked forward and they all got into some kind of metal box that moved through the paths between these odd boxy structures all around him that reached up to his hips. They crumbled before his might, of course. But they were still irritating. He lost sight of their little box after a while, and the vision slowly began to fade into a new one.

It felt like the same time period, roughly. Maybe a few days apart. But now he saw flashes of gold. Three long, flexible columns moving about randomly. Golden wings? They definitely weren't Mothra's. So who did they belong to? He could also hear some kind of high pitched cackling sound. Almost like something was giggling or laughing at him which made his blood boil.

In the present, his claws on the ground scraped the ocean floor sending up a small cloud of mud and sand.

Why was this happening? What were these visions? Was it him? No. He'd never seen these things before. Nor had he heard that sound before. So what was happening?

That girl suddenly appeared again, and some kind of new sound was emerging...

Back in the lab with Chiharu and Hans, Miki sat in the corner quietly humming a melody to herself.

Hmm hmm hmmmmm... Hmm hmm hmmmmm... Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm, Hmm Hmm Hmmmmm...

... Was this a song? He heard it so clearly it was almost as if she was singing it right in his ear. And then, almost as if by magic, she split into two people. On the left was the version of her he saw in his visions. And on the right was the version he saw just the other day. Were there two of them?

And that melody. Something about it relaxed him. In the present, his claws slowly slid out until his claws rested flat on the ocean floor, no longer curled or flexed in frustration at the giggling sound he heard earlier. His body subtly adjusted itself, flattening out a bit more as his muscles all released the built-up tension.

Hmm hmm hmmmmm... Hmm hmm hmmmmm...

That melody. Why did it calm him so?

Suddenly, he was thrust into another vision. A much more violent one. He was fighting with Mothra all of a sudden. And a large reptilian bird creature as well. Mothra was hesitant to attack him at first, hanging back and circling more than striking as he seemed to be chasing her. But why?

His movements weren't quite right though. They were jagged. Uneven. Like he had stumbled his way through the fight somehow. Was he injured? Or was something else going on?

_Ziiiiiiinnnnnnggggg!_

Godzilla's body lurched in his sleep, thrusting to the right side as if he'd been struck by some invisible force. His mind was ringing. Like something was screaming inside his head. He couldn't gather any coherent thoughts anymore. Watching this battle was like watching the world on auto-pilot while peering through the windows that were his eyes. Like he was trapped inside himself and couldn't function on his own anymore. The strain was becoming unbearable, and the pain shooting through his body was maddening.

Finally, one thought came through clearly as some kind of device fell from his ear. He collapsed to the ground, and the fight seemed to end. The bird and Mothra hovered nearby, refusing to attack him further. And he felt that girl again. She was trying to do something for him. And Sayuri. He remembered Sayuri from Infant Island, holding a baby in her arms. Her mental footprint was there too in this vision, right alongside the girl's. They were working together on something. And it hurt his head. But the pain wasn't stationary. It moved through the front of his skull, around the side, and through his ear before finally fading.

At last, that static was gone. But his vision had given way to darkness. The world went silent, and he thought the vision was over until he felt his heart pump within his chest. But it wasn't by its own power. Something was pumping it for him. Or... Some_one_.

It was that girl again. Her friend tried to stop her, but she refused to break her concentration. She pumped his heart for him again, and again, and again. Until at last it beat on its own once more, and his consciousness slowly returned to normal. The haze, pain, and static were gone. And he looked around before spotting Mothra. He then took his leave, but it wasn't the end of this vision.

In the depths of the Pacific, he felt a pain in his heart. But not a physical pain. An emotional one. Like he'd lost someone dear to him. Both in his vision, and in the present though he still slumbered, his body began roaring in sorrow.

Back in the lab, Miki's humming stopped as she felt a twinge of pain in her chest.

"Ah!" She gasped.

Hans turned his head.

"Is miss Okumura okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. You're not dying are you? Shame as that'd be." Chiharu jabbed.

Miki waved them off.

"I'm fine."

The two returned to work, but Miki walked outside. She couldn't go far due to the presence of armed guards, but she didn't need to. Instead, she closed her eyes and tried to relax as she focused on that pain in her chest.

And inexplicably, she started to shed silent tears.

"Wh-... Why am I crying?" She asked.

Suddenly, the pain shifted to her head causing her to stumble back into the doorway, barely catching it to steady herself with her hands as she lowered herself into a seated position. Her brain started throbbing in her skull, and curse human anatomy she couldn't reach it to do anything about it. She held her head, fighting desperately to shake it free.

_Friends..._

It was the Shobijin. But they weren't actually talking to her. Was this a memory?

"Godzilla." She whispered.

The pain began to subside as the memory became clearer. She saw herself... No, not herself. Saegusa. It was Saegusa in a hospital bed with a heart rate monitor attached to her. The beeping was steady, but slower than usual. Was she injured? Or was it worse?

"I want her back!"

It was her mother's voice. She was younger though. So this must have been a memory of Saegusa. But if that were true, then why...

Her eyes opened further, and her jaw hung in shock.

"Godzilla. This is _your_ memory."

_Yes, Miki._

Miki gasped. This time, they _were_ talking to her.

"But wait. If this is Godzilla's memory, then how am I-"

_Your Godzilla is experiencing the same memory as we speak in his dreams. We have formed a link between you to synchronize your experience. So concentrate, Miki. Relax your senses, and let the memory flow._

Miki obeyed without question, sitting down and closing her eyes as she released a deep breath.

She saw Godzilla's vision flashing before her. The pain. The static. The lack of a heartbeat, then forced to function by the power of Saegusa's abilities. The awakening. The retreat to the ocean. And then the roars, filled with sadness and shame. It was not unlike the feeling she had of herself this whole time. The feeling of failure, like he let someone close to him down.

Beneath the waves, Godzilla released one final roar of sorrow before lying down as the vision faded. When he opened his eyes, he could still feel that pain coursing through his heart. Whoever that other version of the girl he had seen was from the dream, she had been important to his predecessor. Very important. So much so she risked her life to restore his when his heart failed.

Miki's link to Godzilla slowly faded, and she opened her eyes.

"What was all of that?" She asked.

_Your mother has the answers, Miki._

"Is she all right?"

_We do not know. Wherever she is, we cannot reach her._

"... I need to make a phone call. Thanks you two."

_Be careful Miki. You tread a dangerous path with this Kaiju Coexistence group. And we don't trust that Miyamoto one bit._

"Neither do I."

Miki stood up slowly, gathering herself after that experience. Her legs trembled slightly until she managed to breathe and shake it all off. Bringing out her cell phone, she dialed Miyamoto's phone and waited as she heard the other end ringing.

Beneath the sea, Godzilla began to move in the direction of Tokyo.


End file.
